Best Public Schools in Zip Code 36618

Zip code 36618 in Mobile, AL, is served by three schools within the Mobile County district, which ranks in the bottom third of Alabama districts, and together these schools educate 1,741 students in elementary and middle grades, with no high school located in the immediate area.

For parents exploring this area, the academic landscape is challenging, as all three schools rank in the bottom fifth statewide. Forest Hill Elementary School stands out as the strongest overall performer, particularly in 5th grade where it leads the zip code with 57.35% English proficiency and 32.35% math proficiency. It also boasts the best student-teacher ratio (17.4:1) and the lowest chronic absenteeism (10.3%), which is better than both district and state averages. Orchard Elementary School offers the most stable performance over three years and is the only school in the area to meet the district average in any subject, achieving 52.63% proficiency in 4th grade English. However, it has the highest student-teacher ratio (21.9:1) and struggles with attendance (13.4% chronic absenteeism). CL Scarborough Model Middle School presents a paradox: despite receiving the highest per-student funding ($11,174), it posts the lowest math and English scores in the zip code, though it did show dramatic year-over-year improvements in 7th grade math (from 3.43% to 9.57%) and 8th grade science (from 20.4% to 35.75%).

A critical concern for families is the sharp academic decline between 5th and 6th grades—math proficiency drops by 53% and English by 58% when students transition to middle school. Additionally, with no high school in the zip code, students face another disruptive transition after 8th grade. Across all schools, English proficiency consistently runs 2-3 times higher than math, pointing to a systemic challenge with math instruction. While all schools serve predominantly low-income populations (82-88% free/reduced lunch), the data suggests that factors beyond funding—such as class sizes and attendance—may play a more significant role in student success than resource allocation alone.